Esotericism refers to knowledge suitable only for the advanced, privileged, or initiated, as opposed to exoteric knowledge, which is public. It is used especially for mystical, occult and spiritual viewpoints. Esotericism - Etymology. Esoteric is an adjective originating in Hellenic Greece under the domain of the Roman Empire; it comes from the Greek esôterikos, from esôtero, the comparative form of esô: "within". Esoteric refers to anything that is inner and occult. It ...

Including:

• Esotericism - Etymology
• Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism
• Esotericism - Nuances
• Esotericism - Scope
• Esotericism - Historical sketch
• Esotericism - Esoteric themes
• Esotericism - Traditions
• Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

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Esotericism, Esotericism - Etymology, Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism, Esotericism - Nuances, Esotericism - Scope, Esotericism - Historical sketch, Esotericism - Esoteric themes, Esotericism - Traditions, Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

Read more here: » Esotericism: Encyclopedia II - Esotericism - Esoteric themes

Paulo Coelho's novel The Alchemist involves a spiritual interpretation of alchemy. Umberto Eco has written fiction with esoteric themes, notably the satirical novel Foucault's Pendulum. The plot of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code involves a centuries-old secret society called the Priory of Sion, charged with preserving certain secrets relating to Jesus Christ and the Merovingian kings. ...

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Esotericism, Esotericism - Etymology, Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism, Esotericism - Nuances, Esotericism - Scope, Esotericism - Historical sketch, Esotericism - Esoteric themes, Esotericism - Traditions, Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

Read more here: » Esotericism: Encyclopedia II - Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

The term Western mystery tradition (also Western Esoteric tradition) refers to the collection of the mystical esoteric knowledge, such as Kabbalah, of the western world. Western mystery tradition - History. The Western mystery tradition traditionally started in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Rome and Israel, while it contains many characteristics from the Pagan people of Ancient Britain and Scandinavia, such as the Celts. Ancient figures associated with the Western tradition include Plato, Pyt ...

Including:

• Western mystery tradition - History
• Western mystery tradition - The Dark Ages
• Western mystery tradition - The European Enlightenment
• Western mystery tradition - The Second World War
• Western mystery tradition - The Collapse of the Soviet Union
• Western mystery tradition - Today
• Western mystery tradition - Philosophy
• Western mystery tradition - Initiation
• Western mystery tradition - The Main Themes
• Western mystery tradition - The Teachings
• Western mystery tradition - Organisations
• Western mystery tradition - People
• Western mystery tradition - Texts

Read more here: » Western mystery tradition: Encyclopedia - Western mystery tradition

The Western mystery tradition traditionally started in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Rome and Israel, while it contains many characteristics from the Pagan people of Ancient Britain and Scandinavia, such as the Celts. Ancient figures associated with the Western tradition include Plato, Pythagoras and other Greek philosophers, Hermes Trismegistus, Akhenaten and other pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece were the most known sources of what we currently call Western Mystery Tradition. Egypt was considered more advanced in mysticism, and thus many Ancient Greek philosophers t ...

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Western mystery tradition, Western mystery tradition - History, Western mystery tradition - The Dark Ages, Western mystery tradition - The European Enlightenment, Western mystery tradition - The Second World War, Western mystery tradition - The Collapse of the Soviet Union, Western mystery tradition - Today, Western mystery tradition - Philosophy, Western mystery tradition - Initiation, Western mystery tradition - The Main Themes, Western mystery tradition - The Teachings, Western mystery tradition - Organisations, Western mystery tradition - People, Western mystery tradition - Texts

Read more here: » Western mystery tradition: Encyclopedia II - Western mystery tradition - History

Today, the Western mystery tradition is a mixture of ancient philosophy, paganistic and Christian thought, medieval ideas, and also contains some imports from Asia and modern Science. However, the true Tradition, seems to focus on individual spiritual progress through initiation into some sort of brotherhood, group rituals, study of philosophy and the cosmic laws and their practical application with the aims of alchemy, meditation, divination and ritual magic. ...

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Western mystery tradition, Western mystery tradition - History, Western mystery tradition - The Dark Ages, Western mystery tradition - The European Enlightenment, Western mystery tradition - The Second World War, Western mystery tradition - The Collapse of the Soviet Union, Western mystery tradition - Today, Western mystery tradition - Philosophy, Western mystery tradition - Initiation, Western mystery tradition - The Main Themes, Western mystery tradition - The Teachings, Western mystery tradition - Organisations, Western mystery tradition - People, Western mystery tradition - Texts

Read more here: » Western mystery tradition: Encyclopedia II - Western mystery tradition - Philosophy

Modern people who are related to the Western mystery tradition include: Aleister Crowley, occultist Dion Fortune, magician Harvey Spencer Lewis, founder of AMORC Max Heindel, author of The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception S. L. MacGregor-Mathers, founding member of the 1888's Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn Historical individuals who are related to the Western mystery tradition include: Hermes Trismegistus, ancient mythical figure Akhenaten, Ancient Egy ...

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Western mystery tradition, Western mystery tradition - History, Western mystery tradition - The Dark Ages, Western mystery tradition - The European Enlightenment, Western mystery tradition - The Second World War, Western mystery tradition - The Collapse of the Soviet Union, Western mystery tradition - Today, Western mystery tradition - Philosophy, Western mystery tradition - Initiation, Western mystery tradition - The Main Themes, Western mystery tradition - The Teachings, Western mystery tradition - Organisations, Western mystery tradition - People, Western mystery tradition - Texts

Read more here: » Western mystery tradition: Encyclopedia II - Western mystery tradition - People

Esoteric is an adjective originating in Hellenic Greece under the domain of the Roman Empire; it comes from the Greek esôterikos, from esôtero, the comparative form of esô: "within". Esoteric refers to anything that is inner and occult. Its antonym is exoteric, from the Greek eksôterikos, from eksôtero, the comparative form of eksô: "outside". Plato (427-347 BC) uses in his dialogue Alcibíades (aprox. 390 BC) the expression ta esô meaning «the inner things ...

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Esotericism, Esotericism - Etymology, Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism, Esotericism - Nuances, Esotericism - Scope, Esotericism - Historical sketch, Esotericism - Esoteric themes, Esotericism - Traditions, Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

Read more here: » Esotericism: Encyclopedia II - Esotericism - Etymology

Many religious movements in various parts of the world claim to possess a higher, truer, or better interpretation of the wider religion of which they are a part. Whether they are correct is inevitably a matter of controversy. Not infrequently, the claims of one esoteric group may be rejected by the wider religious culture, or by other esoteric groups which make their own rival claims. While esotericism tends to focus on personal enlightenment and internal spiritual practice, organized religion or exotericism tends to focus on outer sp ...

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Esotericism, Esotericism - Etymology, Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism, Esotericism - Nuances, Esotericism - Scope, Esotericism - Historical sketch, Esotericism - Esoteric themes, Esotericism - Traditions, Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

Read more here: » Esotericism: Encyclopedia II - Esotericism - Scope

Esotericism largely overlaps with occultism which simply means "hidden knowledge." However, in the 20th century many esotericists avoid the latter term owing to negative connotations associated with it (for example, the presumption that it involves devil-worship or black magic). For the same reason, many (predominantly Christian) opponents of esotericism prefer the term "occultism." Much overlap exists as well between esotericism and mysticism. However, many mystical traditions do not attempt to introduce additional spir ...

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Esotericism, Esotericism - Etymology, Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism, Esotericism - Nuances, Esotericism - Scope, Esotericism - Historical sketch, Esotericism - Esoteric themes, Esotericism - Traditions, Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

Read more here: » Esotericism: Encyclopedia II - Esotericism - Nuances

Esotericism is not a single tradition but a vast array of often unrelated figures and movements. Nevertheless, the following may be helpful. The Roman Empire gave birth not only to Christianity but also to a group of mystery religions which emphasized initiation. Some see Christianity, with its initiation ritual of baptism, as a mystery religion. After Christianity became the state religion of Rome, dissident Christian groups became persecuted as traitors to the state. Also, pagan groups came to be suppressed as well. The terms ...

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Esotericism, Esotericism - Etymology, Esotericism - Esoteric vs. Esotericism, Esotericism - Nuances, Esotericism - Scope, Esotericism - Historical sketch, Esotericism - Esoteric themes, Esotericism - Traditions, Esotericism - Esotericism in popular culture

Read more here: » Esotericism: Encyclopedia II - Esotericism - Historical sketch